Highside Longsword Logbook 1997
FORTY SEVENTH PUBLIC PERFORMANCE 19th January 1997
PERFORMERS :-
Musician - Ray Waite
Captain - David Neild
1 Ted
Dodsworth
2 Roy Waite
3 Keith Worden, Robert Thew
4 Geoff Hyde
5 Jim Coulson
6 Paul Freeman
This was a special Plough Blessing at St. Andrew's Church at Kirkby Malzeard as it was their 50th and the 50th for Tommy Atkinson who was instrumental in reviving the service. Jeremy Martineau, who is the Archbishop of Canterbury's National Officer for Rural Ministry, delivered the sermon. There were several children involved who brought old farm implements into the church and were wearing farming clothes. David Curry MP read the first lesson and Tom Ramsden read the second. Also at the service was Albert Atkinson who was the first vicar that we beheaded. We danced very well as part of the service even though the Gazette said we danced outside after the service!
Mike & Connie Jenson had travelled from Carlisle to see the plough service and also for Mike, who is the leader of Carlisle Sword, Morris and Clog to give us a workshop on a Cumbrian dance. After lunch at Ray and Bet's house we went to the Motor Sport's Club in Ripon where Rob joined us and Mike gave us excellent tuition in The Bampton Weavers dance. This is for five dancers and we thoroughly enjoyed it.
After tea we travelled to Masham to take part in their plough blessing ceremony. This year it was very tricky as there was a large step at one side of the narrow ‘stage'. We felt that we danced hesitantly but in the Masham column of the Gazette it said the "there was an inspired display by the High Side Long Sword Dancers of Kirkby Malzeard. They made the hazardous sword handling look so safe and easy, such was their skill". A man from Handsworth Sword came to watch us and afterwards we retired to the Bay Horse where the Rev. Brian Abel bought us all a beer. All in all it was one of our best dancing days.
FORTY EIGHTH PUBLIC PERFORMANCE 29th June 1997
PERFORMERS :-
Musician - Ray Waite
Captain - David Neild
1 Ted
Dodsworth
2 Roy Waite
3 Robert Thew
4 Geoff Hyde
5 Keith Worden
6 Jim Coulson
Nidderdale Festival - This is the inaugural year for this 2 week festival. We had been asked to dance at any time to suit ourselves. We met at the Crown Inn at 1.00 pm in Pateley Bridge but because of some misunderstanding Paul didn't arrive so we shuffled Jim to 6 and Keith to 5 and had a quick practice in the pub yard.
Our first spot was on the High Street near the Help the Aged shop. We nearly started without Dave who strolled out of the pub in time for the calling on song. Quite a few people stopped to watch but very few stayed for the whole performance.
We then walked to Bewerley as some of the gardens were open to the public as part of the Festival. We couldn't find anyone to watch so we started dancing on the road at the side of the green and soon attracted a fairly large crowd. Robert and Yvonne Le Mare who were helping with the Festival came to watch and donated £5 to our funds.
We then drove to Ramsgill where there was an exhibition of old photographs in the village hall, again as part of the Festival. After a drink in the Yorke Arms we danced in the roadway just outside the Hotel. Quite a large crowd appeared to watch here. One lady was particularly impressed and asked us lots of questions. A very pleasant day out.
FORTY NINTH PUBLIC PERFORMANCE 21st September 1997
PERFORMERS :-
Musician - Ray Waite
Captain - David Neild
1 Ted
Dodsworth
2 Roy Waite
3 Keith Worden
4 Geoff Hyde
5 Jim Coulson
6 Paul Freeman
We had been asked by Kath Gill, the wife of Don Gill, a past dancer with the Kirkby Malzeard Sword Dancers, to perform at this Harvest Festival. It was at St. Cuthbert's Church in Pateley Bridge where Kath now lives.
We met at 10.00am to practice in the museum car park and then into the church for a rather long service. Sadly, the vicar, Peter Dunbar, was unable to attend as his Mother had been taken ill the previous evening. During the service the Sunday School children read pieces relating to Harvest time. We danced after the service on a fairly large stage in front of the alter while the congregation took tea and biscuits. It was particularly gratifying to be closely watched by some of the children that we had taught longsword dancing to, earlier in the year. When Roy dropped his sword their was a chorus of "7 years bad luck"! We were also able to "behead" Zoe Buller, one of our pupils, but we did cause a mark on her neck!
Paul discovered a long lost Hardcastle relative in the church.
No report for performance 50 or 51